Specimen grip assembly



Dec. 29, 1964 Filed Jan. 12, 1961 LAZAN SPECIMEN GRIP ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 50 52 60 Si 37 2i 37 54 i6 28 M L- 21: A l( l 29 Arz--jl Z L is) 30 31 4 27 32 i3 47 41 f4 41 DI "fi *Ik 44 i@ -42 MZ 45 INVENToR.

mm Benjamin Layla l Wm R ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1964 B. J. LAZAN sPEcIMEN GRIP ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 12, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7o FIGS 69 e5 55 l2 2 mf \55 FICLZ 57 FIGA 4 JV --lL- 50 i INVENTOR. 35 Benjamin l. Lujan. KN

A TTORNE Y Dec. 29, 1964 B. J. LAzAN SPECIMEN GRIP ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 12, 1961 IN V EN TOR.

BY Benjamin l Lujan United States Patent O 3,163,036 SiEClvllN GRIP ASSEMBLY Benjamin J. Lazan, t. Paul, Minn., assigner to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Ilan. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 32,353 13 Claims. (Cl. '7S- 193) This invention relates to a specimen grip assembly, especially for high temperature testing, and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide a specimen grip assembly in which the specimen holder comprises standard replaceable parts which are simple and inexpensive and readily exchanged.

Another object is to provide a specimen grip assembly which can be put together outside the working location and quickly mounted for making tests.

Another object is to provide a specimen grip assembly which can be readily inserted through openings in a support and furnace by endwise movement.

Another object is to provide convenient means for aligning the assembly in operating position.

Another object is to provide a rigid specimen grip assembly which can readily be tightened from outside the furnace.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention and various features of novelty will be apparent from Ithe following description of an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section and elevation of a testing machine having installed therein a specimen grip assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical ysection of the specimen grip assembly and related parts;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of FiG. 2;

FlG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1 -4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view taken on the line 5 5 of FG. 2;

FlG. 6 is a top plan view of a bubble level with a crosssection diagram placed thereon to assist in lining up the specimen;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the apparatus with auxiliary equipment installed to assist in lining up the specimen; and

FiG. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line S-S of FIG. 7.

The present specimen grip assembly can be used with various forms of testing machines but to give it an illustrative setting it is herein shown assembled in a combination static-dynamic machine disclosed in my pending application, Serial No. 41,634, tiled July 8, 1960, now l)atent 3,135,106.

The testing machine shown in FlG. 1 comprises heavy side supports 1t) resting on elastic base elements 11 supported on the floor, a dynamic test unit A, a static test unit B, and a specimen support plate 12. Columns 13 are secured to the support plate 14 of the static unit and have the side plates 15 of the dynamic unit secured to them by U-bolt clamps 1d. A support head 17 which carries the plate 12 is secured to the columns by U-bolt clamps 18. rthe tops of the columns are held by a brace 19 secured to the columns by U-bolt clamps 2li and secured to the top plate 21 of the dynamic unit by cap screws 22.

The dynamic unit A includes a back plate 2S on which a drive motor M1 is supported; and iiex plates 26, 27, secured to the back plate 25, carry a vibratory head 28 supporting a shaft 29 driven through a belt 30 by the 3,1%,h35 Patented Dec. 29, 1964i- ICC motor M1. The shaft 29 has an eccentric 31 and an adjustable weight 32 for varying the vibratory loading as desired.

The vibratory head 2S is provided with adapter plates 35 and 36 by which it may be connected to a specimen holder above and to the static test unit below. For stability the top plate 21 is secured to the side supports 1Q, as by cap screws 37.

The static unit B includes a support plate 14 which is secured to the side supports 10 by bolts 41. A power loading screw 42 is threaded in a nut 43 having a worm gear thereon which is turned by a worm pinion on a shaft ed driven through suitable gearing in a iixed gear box 45 from a motor M2.

A cage i6 is slidably mounted on the upper end of the screw 42 and is bolted to the lower adapter plate 3a of the dynamic unit. lf a dynamic unit is not used the cage 46 may be directly connected to the lower end of the specimen grip assembly later to be described.

A replaceable yC-shaped spring 47 is connected through ball joints and yokes with the lower end of the screw d2 and the cage 46 respectively.

The static unit, through controls which need not be described here, can be used to keep a steady predetermined load on a specimen or to apply an increasing or decreasing load or to vary the load in cycles between upper and lower predetermined limits. The dynamic unit acts in coordination with the static unit or can act alone if the static unit is not present.

Both the dynamic and the static units have means for registering the number of cycles up to the time of rupture of the specimen and both have means for quickly halting operation after rupture.

The apparatus so far described provides an environmental setting but is not specifically a part of the present invention.

The specimen grip assembly with which the present invention is concerned is adapted to be mounted between the support plate 12 and the adapter plate 35 of the dynamic unit-or with the cage 46 of the static unit if the dynamic unit is not present. It can be passed down through an opening 12a of the support plate 12 and through a center opening of a furnace C.

The specimen grip assembly includes holders 5u into which the ends of the specimen S can be threaded. They 'are turned in until their ends project out of the holders.

Clamp spacer blocks 51 engage the protruding ends of the specimen and are forced thereagainst by clamp bolts 52 passing through holes in the holders 5," and in flanges 53 and S4 of holder bars 55 and 56. Nuts S7 on the bolts 52 are located outside the ends of the furnace C where they can be tightened at any time.

Preferably all of the parts which are disposed within the furnace are made of metal which has good stability and resistance to heat, such as stainless steel or other known materials, but in time the parts deteriorate or lose shape with heat and need to be replaced. TheVY simple standard parts provided hereby make replacement simple, easy and inexpensive.

The lower enlarged end 56a of bar 56 is threaded into a base flange 6i) which is provided with oversized holes for bolts 61 which are threaded into the adapter plate 35 (or into some other load applying member). The lower `end of the bar 56 is threaded through the base flange 6d until it projects the-rebelow so as to be clamped tight against the support plate 35' when the bolts 61 are tightened.

The top flange a of the holder bar 55 at the top is secured by bolts 62 to a top support pad 63. The pad 63 is supported on the top of the support plate 12 by a plurality of shoes 64 which are adjustably disposed beneath adjust-ing screws 65, balls 66 being disposed between the shoes and screws for tilting adjustment.

The pad 63 is provided with oversize holes for clamp bolts 67 having spherical seat adjusting washers 63, 69.

A bubble level '70 is secured in a top recess in the pad 63 to determine readily when the holder is accurately aligned Ivertically or plumb.

In use, a specimen S has its ends screwed into the holders S until its ends project slightly therethrough. The clamp blocks 5l are then assembled with the holder bars 55 and 56 and the assembly tightly clamped together by bolts 52. Each end assembly can be left loosely bolted together and drawn up after the specimen ends are screwed in. The clamping or loading action on the ends of the specimen keeps it tight unless there is loosening after heating. The nuts 57 can be tried after heat-ing andkpulled up if there has been any loosening. These nuts, as stated, are readily accessible outside the furnace C.

The entire assembly carrying a .specimen has the pad 63 secured to the ange 55a by cap bolts 62 and the whole assembly (Without the base ange 60, which is loosely secured to the adapter plate is inserted through the hole 12a in the support plate l2 and through the axial opening fin the furnace. The threaded end 56a of holder bar Se is screwed into tlange 60, the cap bolts 61 of which are loose, until its end projects therethrough and thereafter the cap bolts 61 are tightened to secure the lower end of the bar 56 firmly on its seat on the adapter plate 3S.

It will be assumed that the specimen S has enough rigidity to act as a column and, if so, the specimen holder assembly will assume a nearly vertical position after the bolts 6l have been tightened. It will also be assumed that the adapter plate 35 is in a nearly horizontal position, thestatic unit parts being in proper position for ths purpose.

The set up procedure which has been developed and which can readily be practiced by the present apparatus is as follows.

The operator notes lthe position of the actual bubble B relative to the true level center C. (FIG. 6) of the bubble level and makes a note of the actual bubble position. In FIG. 6 it has been indicated for simplicity (and this may be done, if desired) that the bubble level glass has been provided with a cross-section diagram or chart based on X-y axes which will enable the true position of the bubble to be read accurately.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 a telescope 73 and angle mirror V74 are shown as being provided, here being mounted on a post 75 adjustably secured in the support plate l2, whereby the bubble level can be conveniently and acurately viewed from the side. In this case the telescope may carry the cross-section chart, the bubble glass only carrying a true level bubble position circle or dot to aid in adjusting the position of the telescope.

A-fter noting the actual bubble position the operator proceeds to adjust the support screws 65 with shoes 64 and the clamp bolts 67 until the unit is firmly tightened in position, being careful to see that the bubble is iinally left in the position in which it was observed.

By this apparatus and procedure all side bending of the specimen during testing is avoided and all errors of non-true disposition of the machine and support plate 12 are cancelled out.

It will be noted that all parts tighten on threads or otherwise under loading and locking so that the parts do not 'loosen in action whether under steady loads or reversing loads.

The specimen is now centered and plumb and the test can proceed. The arrangement and method of assembly saves a great deal of time which has previously been required with other assemblies in mounting specimens.

It is thus .Seen that the invention provides a simple,

l inexpensive and easily assembled unit for mounting test specimens.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration it is to be. understood that there may be various embodiments and modications within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A specimen grip assembly adapted to be secured to a specimen and inserted endwise as a unit through an opening in a support plate into test position, comprising in combination, specimen holders adapted to be rigidly secured to the ends of a specimen, a bottom anchor portion rigidily secured to one of said specimen holders, said anchor having means for rigidily securing it toa load connection and being of a size to pass through the support plate opening, a ltop pad support rigidly secured to the other of said specimen holders adapted to hold the assembly on the support plate, feet adjustably carried by said pad to support it on said support plate, and means having lateral adjustment tor securing said pad to said support plate.

2. A grip assembly as set for-th in claim l, wherein said bottom anchor member comprises a hub which has threads at its end, and the member includes a flange into which the hub is threaded, said ange having lateral adjustment relative to said load connection, and means for securing said ilange to the load connection.

3. A grip assembly as set forth in claim l, in which said pad support is provided at the top axial center with a bubble level with a bubble and an indicator of a central position of the bubble to indicate the position of the pad relative to a true level position and the position of the axis of .the specimen relative to a true plumb position.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim l, wherein said specimen holders include a connector having a removable spacer and removable clamp bolts for clamping the specimen holder.

5. A specimen grip assembly adapted to be secured to a specimen for insertion into operating assembly with a load connection and a support, comprising in combination, holders into which the ends of `the specimen are threaded with the outer ends of the specimen projecting therethrough, spacer blocks engaging the projecting ends of the specimen, holder bars adapted to be connected with load applying means, and removable bolts cooperating with said holders and holder bars for clamping the specimen against the spacer blocks.

6. A specimen grip assembly adapted to be secured to a specimen and inserted endwise as a unit through an opening in a support plate into a furnace and connected to the support plate and a load connection, comprising in combination, holders threaded on the ends of a specimen with the specimen ends projecting, spacer blocks engaging the ends of the specimen, holder bars engaging the outer ends of the spacer blocks, removable clamp bolts securing the holders to the holder bars with the spacer blocks clamping the ends of the specimen, one holder bar having a threaded end, a flange in which the threaded end of said bar is screwed with its end projecting, clamp bolts in oversize holes in said ange for clamping the end of the holder bar against a load connection, the outer end of the other holder bar having a liange, a support pad, screws securing said holder bar tlange to said pad, adjustable feet for said pad to support it on the support plate, screws in oversize holes in said pad and having adjusting washers for securing the pad to the support plate, and a bubble level carried by the top of said pad.

7. A specimen grip assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein said clamp bolts have tightening elements disposed on the outer ends where they are exposed tor access when the specimen is in a furnace.

8. A specimen grip assembly, including specimen holders adapted to be secured to the ends of a specimen, means for securing said holders in rigid axial alignment to supports, a bubble level carried by the upper holder, and means associated with the bubble level for indicating a true level position and the actual bubble position indicative of actual specimen alignment when the assembly is secured at the bottom end whereby said holders may be rigidly fixed to said supports while maintaining said actual bubble position.

9. A specimen grip assembly as set forth in claim 8, which includes a sighting telescope for viewing the bubble level from the side and registering by visual observation the coordinate location of said bubble.

10. The method of lining up a specimen grip assembly having a bubble level at the top which comprises, securing the assembly at the bottom end, observing the actual position of the level bubble, and securing the upper end of the assembly while maintaining the bubble in the same position in which it was observed.

11. A specimen grip assembly for attachment to transversely and laterally lixed support plates of a testing machine comprising,

a lower holder bar fixed to the lower support plate,

a lower holder connected to said lower holder bar, said holder being adapted Ito receive the lower end of a specimen,

an upper holder adapted to receive the upper end of said specimen,

an upper holder bar connected to said upper holder, said upper holder bar being mounted through an aperture in the top support plate, and transversely and laterally free to seek an unrestrained axial position relative .to said top support plate, said holders and said holder bars being axially aligned with said specimen,

a top support pad connected to said upper holder bar at a point above said top support plate, said top support pad being provided with adjusting screws for positioning said top support pad relative to said top support plate without changing the lateral and transverse axial alignment of said top support pad,

and clamping bolts for xing said top support pad to said top support plate whereby said specimen is mounted between said support plates without imposing lateral or transverse forces on said specimen.

12. A specimen grip assembly as set forth in claim 11 which further includes a bubble level device with a coordinate indicator mounted on said top support pad for continuously indicating the position ot' said top support pad.

13. A specimen grip assembly as set forth in claim 11 which further includes spacer blocks for mounting between said holders and said holder bars, said spacer blocks being axially aligned and in engagement with said holders and axially .aligned and in engagement with the respective ends of said specimen extending through said holder to form a locking, aligning, and spacing device therewith.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,183,115 12/39 Boucher 73-382 2,375,034 5/45 Semchyshen 73-95 X 2,660,881 12/53 Van Degrift 73--15.6 2,748,597 6/56 Kooistra 73-103 X 2,837,915 6/58 Brown et al 73-95 3,010,307 11/61 Schwegler 73-15.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 448,130 6/ 36 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner. C. A. CUTTING, DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiners. 

8. A SPECIMEN GRIP ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING SPECIMEN HOLDERS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE ENDS OF A SPECIMEN, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID HOLDERS IN RIGID AXIAL ALIGNMENT TO SUPPORTS, A BUBBLE LEVEL CARRIED BY THE UPPER HOLDER, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUBBLE LEVEL FOR INDICATING A TRUE LEVEL POSITION AND THE ACTUAL BUBBLE POSITION INDICATIVE OF ACTUAL SPECIMEN ALIGNMENT WHEN THE ASSEMBLY IS SECURED AT THE BOTTOM END WHEREBY SAID HOLDERS MAY BE RIGIDLY FIXED TO SAID SUPPORTS WHILE MAINTAINING SAID ACTUAL BUBBLE POSITION. 